Meet Michael Santoro - One of America's Premiere Designers "New on Amazon, this line reflects my commitment to making people’s lives better through good design. The objective is to create products that are original, timeless and of exquisite quality that will deliver superior functionality and protection made from materials you can feel good about. This results in a wonderful relationship with a product you’ll be proud to own for years to come. For over 30 years, I have been creating award-winning designs across a broad range of industries for some of the world’s most demanding customers. You may have owned or driven a car I designed, flown in one of my aircraft interiors or seen one of my race cars win a championship on TV. I created the Apple-specific case market and am the godfather of the automotive Easter Egg. " Mr. Santoro’s work and inspiring story have been featured in publications such as The New York Times, The Detroit Free Press, San Diego's North County Times, AutoWeek, Road & Track, Authority Magazine, Automobile, Car and Driver, Adventure Journal, Motor Trend, Motor Authority and Power Nation. Design Philosphy Timeless Design for Our Time "One of the guiding principals of my career has been to create timeless designs. Of course, this is easier said than done. So many of my competitors' bags and cases are based on designs from the past. They'd look more at home in the 1820s than the 2020s. I always try to innovate with each new model I create. This can be a unique orientation, new proportions, new use of materials, or unique features. Look for these as you learn more about each model." Personally Engaged “With most designer brands, the designer is just a brand name. The designer doesn’t know or even interact with the people actually designing their products. Not so with me. I still personally design each new model, ensure functionality and take part in testing prototypes. Why don’t I just phone it in like so many others? Because I love this. My passion to create timeless and innovative solutions to make your life better can be felt in each piece." Superior Functionality and Protection "A pretty design is not worth much if it doesn't protect the items you carry." Design is more than how something looks. It's also about how something works. One example of how my products differ from the competition is that they offer what I call "Fully Layered Protection". High-density foam padding is placed between the exterior hides and the interior liner, providing superior protection and peace of mind." Read more Ethically Sourced Leather Since 2007 "When I launched my collection over 15 years ago, I insisted on using ethically sourced leather because it was the right thing to do. Our leather is sourced from ex-dairy cows whose hides only become available when the cows pass naturally. They're not a by-product of the beef or other industries. Read more World Class Quality World Class People "All my designs are made very slowly by hand, one at a time, from ethically sourced hides. But the best hides in the world are worthless without talented, passionate people to bring ideas to life. Our master craftspeople possess world-class skills and are emotionally invested in creating the best products possible. This imbues the products with a presence and provides you with an ongoing experience that someone who cared about their craft made your case or bag." World Class Materials "When I launched my collection, I studied the available options. Every choice I made seemed to be the most expensive. Ethical sourcing and vegetable dying costs more. Full and top grain hides cost (much) more. Unlike many competitors, I'm only interested in putting quality products into the world. Whether it's our unfinished full grain, vintage brown or our classic, pebble grain black, they're as tough as they are beautiful." Attention to Detail "I wanted a definitive visual statement of my commitment to quality. You cannot sew with white thread unless every stitch is perfect. Throughout the line, white thread is used on the curved leather panels. Look for this detail. Sewing on a curved panel is exponentially harder to do. It takes time and extreme skill to execute this consistently. The white thread highlights this beautifully. This visual statement of quality is present in every MSD model." Read more Called "The Greatest Laptop Case Ever Designed" "There are a lot of MacBook cases on Amazon. Most are generic, "one size fits all" laptop bags. They use "MacBook" as a keyword, so they show up in your search. Whether they fit the way you expect or want them to is another story. Mine are different. Each Apple laptop size gets its own custom-fit, size-specific version. Moreover, how many of those competitor products are designed to last as long as you own your laptop? How many of them have been in constant production since 2008, with the majority of them still in the field? These facts—the custom fit, the durablity, and the proven protection of a near 15-year production run—gives you peace of mind like no other MacBook Pro case available." A Vertical Design That Moves With You "The vertical axis of the case is perfectly aligned with the vertical axis of your body. This creates a symbiotic relationship that makes it easier for you to move through the world. The case moves when you want it to and is not flopping around when you don’t. It's much more comfortable to wear than a similar-sized horizontal model. Moreover, the design is much more protective than a horizontal bag, which can place your laptop in harm's way by having it stick out into the flow of traffic. " "I Want That!" "When it was first released, technology journalist Charles W. Moore called this bag “the greatest laptop case ever designed”, stating pictures really don’t do it justice. He wrote, "It has a presence that reaches out and grabs you." “I want that,” was my wife’s immediate comment upon spotting the design for the first time. Even before she even knew what it was. It has that effect; you want to touch it. When finished in the black hides, the bag looks modern, professional, and elegant." Don't Let It's Sleekness Fool You "These cases are sleek, with the front and rear panels coming to a single seam. They present a very low profile when viewed from a side view. But looks can be deceiving. Storage options above and beyond the main laptop compartment include a removable, customized pouch; a full-width zipper-closure pocket in the main flap; an interior under flap pocket; and a deep, open pocket on the backside of the case. There's room for everything you need to get you through your day." Read more
